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Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Nuggets gritty but Bulls take win in Auckland
The Otago Nuggets get an A for effort. But they did not get the W for the win. The Franklin Bulls maintained an edge throughout and posted a 95-87 victory in Auckland last night. Tae Hardy was class. The Bulls guard poured in 35 points, made 10 assists and grabbed seven rebounds in a match-winning effort. Till Gloger muscled his way into the paint for 21 points. Marcel Jones added 17 points from the bench. The Nuggets fought desperately and clawed their way back several times. Jose Perez led the way with 20 points and Matthew Bardsley made an impact off the bench. He brings a lot of defensive hustle. Jaylen Sebree (16 points) and Don Carey jun (15 points, 10 assists) had their moments. The Nuggets just needed a little bit more from the America duo. Carey first shot connected with air and lots of it. The Nuggets guard followed that up with a tough make from the corner. He can be unpredictable but Perez, not so much. He barged his way into the paint and drew a foul. That is what he does. Hardy did what he does too. He accelerated into the paint and slipped in a lay-up. He was just getting started. He banged in a mid-range jumper over Sebree and drilled a triple moments later. His tally climbed rapidly. His range got longer. He was seemingly unstoppable. But the Nuggets closed to within three thanks to a three-point buzzer-beater by Perez. They did well to battle back in the opening period. Cameron stepped in front of Perez early in the second quarter. That is like stepping in front of a fridge when it is rolling down a hill. But he was rewarded with a charging call on Perez. Gloger sent Sebree the wrong way and banked in an easy lay-up. The Nuggets stayed in the fight. Sebree slammed in a dunk to cut the margin to one. The Bulls eased away again. The Nuggets rallied again. Perez went down again. This time he got a flop warning. But a late flurry saw the Bulls extend their lead to 51-46 by halftime. Hardy opened the scoring in the third, finishing off a fast break. Gloger reeled in a bullet pass from Wena Okwera and popped in a lay-up. Nuggets forward Jonathan Janssen hit an important three to trim the lead just as they were on the cusp of letting the game slip away again. Bardsley cut to the hoop and slammed in a duck to inject some energy into the effort in his 99th game for the Nuggets. Sebree inbounded the ball off the bum of Hardy and drove along the baseline for a basket. That was cheeky — boom boom — but the margin blew out to 13. Jones speared in a flat three and popped in a free lay-up moments later. The Nuggets responded with an 11-point run and got back into the contest with 10 minutes to play. But their defence was tiring, the desperation giving way and the tenacity fading. Midway through the final period they trailed by 11 and this time they could not get back in range. The Bulls beat the Nuggets 38-34 in the Rapid League game. Payton Hughes knocked down seven triples in a 25-point haul. NBL The scores Franklin Bulls 95 (Tae Hardy 35, Till Gloger 21) Otago Nuggets 87 (Jose Perez 20, Jaylen Sebree 16) Quarter scores: 32-29, 51-46, 74-69, 95-87.
Otago Daily Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Nuggets' losing streak continues
The Otago Nuggets have slipped to a sixth consecutive loss and can probably start making other plans for the playoffs. They were edged 83-73 by the Auckland Tuatara on the North Shore tonight. The game was a grind. The rim was probably the player of the match given the stout defence it put up. Turnovers were another leading contributor. But with the game on the line, Will Hickey ghosted his way to the lid for a series of baskets to help clinch the win. He collected 25 points and Charles Pride's double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds was critical. Don Carey jun top-scored for the Nuggets with 24 points. Jaylen Sebree (17 points) and Jonathan Janssen (14 points, 15 rebounds) put in a solid effort. Both teams were in a dark spot before tip-off. The Nuggets were looking to halt a lengthy losing streak and the Tuatara were coming off a franchise record loss. They were monstered by the Canterbury Rams, losing 131-78 on their home court. The Tuatara could not find their range early either, triggering some anxiety no doubt. They gave up a 7-2 lead. Tom Vodanovich tossed up three consecutive bricks. But the Nuggets were not connecting on offence and were unable to take much advantage of a sloppy start from the home team. They led 18-17 at the end of a low-scoring, low-quality opening quarter. The Tuatara were sorely missing Rob Loe, who is sidelined with a minor injury. The shooting percentages continued to fall. Some ugly basketball took root. Both sides turned the ball over with stunning frequency. The rims were not forgiving. There was a relative flurry of late scoring but halftime came as a relief. Tuatara guard Pride was the only player who would have been keen to read the stats sheet during the long break. The Tuatara led 36-32 and Pride had 19 points. The Nuggets missed six consecutive free throws at the end of the half. Six. Nuggets small forward Jose Perez picked up two fouls early in the third quarter. He was looking to impose himself physically and miscalculated. Josh Aitcheson finished off under the rim to open his tally in his 100th game for the Nuggets. Carey drained a three and Perez followed his example. Finally, some shots were dropping. Ugly gave way to mediocre briefly before it pulled back into the plain lane. Darcy Knox stuck a triple to bring up 50 for the Nuggets and Carey landed from deep to give the visitors a three point lead with 10 minutes to play. Jaylen Sebree made a drive and floated a shot over the defence but got beaten by Hickey down the other end moments later. Buay Tuach popped in a three from an open look for the Tuatara. The game continued to hang in the balance until Hickey got tricky. The Australian struggled from range, but he has electric pace and got himself to the hoop to help seal it. The Tuatara beat the Nuggets 41-26 in the Rapid League game. Auckland Tuatara 83 (Will Hickey 25, Charles Pride 24) The scores Auckland Tuatara 83 (Will Hickey 25, Charles Pride 24), Otago Nuggets 73 (Don Carey jun 24, Jaylen Sebree 17). Quarter scores: 17-18, 36-32, 52-55, 83-73.
Otago Daily Times
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Giants end losing streak with win over Otago Nuggets
The Nelson Giants have put up an almighty battle to notch their first game of the NBL season. They beat the Otago Nuggets 98-86 at the Edgar Centre tonight after losing their opening eight games of the season. The visitors led from the opener and while the Nuggets fought back, they were unable to break through the lead. Big Jeremy Combs led the way with a double of 25 points and 11 rebounds. Jose Perez finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, while Jonathan Janssen added 16 points. The Giants found Combs in the paint easily, who scored all of their opening 12 points. Hayden Jones tripled for the Giants and experienced veteran Sam Dempster added another to extend 21-16. Jaylen Sebree got down low to stop an easy road to the post. He came up with a block soon after and fired the ball to Mac Stodart to finish off. Dempster drilled another triple to give the Giants a 28-22 lead at the break. The Nuggets struggled to box out, giving the Giants several chances with the ball. The home side eventually stopped the play, thanks again to Sebree's efforts on defence, but were unable to finish. But it was the Giants who had the better of the quarter and started to split their points. Alex Robinson banked a deep two, and sent a great ball in to Lachlan Crate who finished with a dunk to extend the visitors' lead to 10 points. Don Carey Jr drove hard into the paint to hit back, Darcy Knox added another and Janssen spotted the mismatch to deliver. Perez was called for a technical foul late in the second quarter and the Giants held a 51-39 lead at halftime. Stodart opened the second half with a three from the top of the arc, off the back of better hustle from the Nuggets. The Giants put the pressure on around the arc, forcing the Nuggets to swing the ball and battle to find the openings. Combs added to the visitors' tally from the stripe but Stodart hit back with another big three. Carey Jr added another triple and Perez finished off a reverse lay-up to close the gap to six. The Nuggets tightened up defensively and Perez reduced the deficit to four in what was a much better quarter from the home side. But the Giants fought back and returned their lead to 74-64 at the end of the third quarter. They came out of the break the better as well, quickly shifting to a commanding 83-65 lead. Sebree found Janssen under the hoop to close the gap to nine, but Liam Judd banked a triple to restore a 92-78 buffer. Perez added consecutive triples and Sebree added another, but it was not enough in the end. The Giants had a 38-35 win in the Rapid League game. NBL The scores Nelson Giants 98 Jeremy Combs 25, Callum McRae 18 Otago Nuggets 86 Jose Perez 32, Jonathan Janssen 16 Quarter scores: Nelson Giants 28-22, 51-39, 74-64.
Otago Daily Times
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Giants break losing streak with commanding win over Nuggets
The Nelson Giants have put up an almighty battle to notch their first game of the NBL season. They beat the Otago Nuggets 98-86 at the Edgar Centre tonight after losing their opening eight games of the season. The visitors led from the opener and while the Nuggets fought back, they were unable to break through the lead. Big Jeremy Combs led the way with a double of 25 points and 11 rebounds. Jose Perez finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, while Jonathan Janssen added 16 points. The Giants found Combs in the paint easily, who scored all of their opening 12 points. Hayden Jones tripled for the Giants and experienced veteran Sam Dempster added another to extend 21-16. Jaylen Sebree got down low to stop an easy road to the post. He came up with a block soon after and fired the ball to Mac Stodart to finish off. Dempster drilled another triple to give the Giants a 28-22 lead at the break. The Nuggets struggled to box out, giving the Giants several chances with the ball. The home side eventually stopped the play, thanks again to Sebree's efforts on defence, but were unable to finish. But it was the Giants who had the better of the quarter and started to split their points. Alex Robinson banked a deep two, and sent a great ball in to Lachlan Crate who finished with a dunk to extend the visitors' lead to 10 points. Don Carey Jr drove hard into the paint to hit back, Darcy Knox added another and Janssen spotted the mismatch to deliver. Perez was called for a technical foul late in the second quarter and the Giants held a 51-39 lead at halftime. Stodart opened the second half with a three from the top of the arc, off the back of better hustle from the Nuggets. The Giants put the pressure on around the arc, forcing the Nuggets to swing the ball and battle to find the openings. Combs added to the visitors' tally from the stripe but Stodart hit back with another big three. Carey Jr added another triple and Perez finished off a reverse lay-up to close the gap to six. The Nuggets tightened up defensively and Perez reduced the deficit to four in what was a much better quarter from the home side. But the Giants fought back and returned their lead to 74-64 at the end of the third quarter. They came out of the break the better as well, quickly shifting to a commanding 83-65 lead. Sebree found Janssen under the hoop to close the gap to nine, but Liam Judd banked a triple to restore a 92-78 buffer. Perez added consecutive triples and Sebree added another, but it was not enough in the end. The Giants had a 38-35 win in the Rapid League game. NBL The scores Nelson Giants 98 Jeremy Combs 25, Callum McRae 18 Otago Nuggets 86 Jose Perez 32, Jonathan Janssen 16 Quarter scores: Nelson Giants 28-22, 51-39, 74-64.
